Corin immediately kickflipped to his feet like he hadn't taken any damages for Josen's last attack, but that wasn't truly he reach into his inventory pulling out a blade it was quite big with a curved sharpened edge and a straight side perfect for hatching it was grey and misty like shadows clawing out of it, he stepped forward slowly as josen unsheathed his blade.
not the golden one?
Corin had seen it was a new blade a simple katana but with a wield set of orb rounded slots there where orbs on them five to be exact they golden with multiple colours and lights, Josen gripped the handle the blue material tied in all around the blade he head it close to his forehead as if saying a prayer, before they both charged, their swords clashed Corin's shadows gripping on to Josen blade as fire consumed them Josen charged forward, sending a kick to Corin's knee before sending a horizontal slash directly to Corin's neck, Corin leaped back sword before sending multiple shadow swords towards Josen, Josen teleported past each one before blimping behind Corin.
He has teleportation?
Josen tried a downward stab but Corin teleported behind Josen stunning him.
"We really aren't that different huh old friend, but–"
He tried an axe kick which was barely blocked by Josen's sheath Josen tilted his blade sending a gut of fire straight at Corin's face he barely dodged it is floating back to avoid it before he could move Josen's send an arched fire slash which grazed Corin's chest giving drawing first blood.
"He got him, he got him", guests and drakovich elders watch the first in astonishment
"His skills are overseeding an S rank? didn't we all see the ranking? What training has he done to wield such a blade"
The white robed man tried to diffuse the situation by interjecting the conversation
"the next round is a full magic round and the young man can't use magic so either way he's losing these fight and plus I'm sure my boy Corin, just has a cold he would have surely one the first round",
he smiled with his eyes closed the other just nodded not trying to get on his bad side
Corin staggered to his feet, his chest heaving as blood splurged from it his skin stung from the burn it wasn't a deep blow, but it did considerable damage, Corin gritted his teeth, he stretches out his sword, he spoke with conviction his voice was deep and rigid.
"System skill, activate shadow bloom"
Immediately shadows all around twisted in formed from is blade they split into many creatures and eight humanoids spread from his own shadows and became clones of him, Josen pulled out one of his pair dagger, the fiery violet surged forward with Josen he charged straight for the Corin's main body.
He faded as Josen's dagger touch his next all eight clones began to blimp around Josen so much he could concentrate, send combinations of poison and fire slashes which the clones twisted around He took a deep breath trying not notice differences in each clone they all looked the same their expressions and breather where all in sync, except one Josen blimped behind it sending a slash towards Corin's next missing it by centimetre he threw his dagger before rushing behind it he blimped above corin's head, dropkicking him into the ground, he caught his dagger nd threw it to the ground but corins form turned to shadows
He can swap places with his clones? his becoming more annoying damn it, i guess I must use it now
Josen gripped his katana he took a shaky breath before blitzing Corin with pure speed he gripped Corin's arm his pointed his dagger at Josen's face before speaking one word.
"scatter"
The shadows flew backward the power so strong it ripped and tore through them, most where now dangly and Corin got shocked once again force field he blimped Infront of Corin landing a flurry of gut punches each causing another shock as corin's back peeling against the field he body grew bloodier, Josen launched an overhead but was flung away by a rope, a rope of blood Corin gripped one the other end which had turned into a giant scythe.
Blood?, but how could thi–? Wait don't tell me it wasn't?
He recalled when he peaked at Corin's stats he saw his subclass was the perfect body bandit, the most powerful subclass for assassin's, giving proficiency in martial techniques, Sword fighting, blood magic, and shadow magic, it was one of the strongest subclasses' the system could offer
"So, you've been holding back on me, how rude i must say"
They charged forward, Corin sliced forward at Josen neck, he leaned lean back placing his foot at the tip of the grip before pivoting off it and landing his shin flush on Corin's face Causing him to spin through the air, Josen charged again preparing for a palm strike, Corin dissolved into shadows appearing behind Josen smashing him down to the ground he appeared Infront his him preparing a slash from above Josen lean forward his arm devoid of weapons, before Corin could ponder, he felt his veins freeze, he was stuck he could move he had no idea what Josen had just done.
"Formless fang: pulse lock"
He took a step back his arm straightens his hand it Infront of Corin's chest in place of his heart he motions like the one Corin took in the first round
"one inch punch"
Corin's heart rumbled in agony he was sent flying twenty maybe forty feet back, he was down Josen stood up to survey the damage but he received a slash a huge gash across his body explodes like it was an invincible enemy had snuck him, he dropped to his knees and both of them were out.
The same automated voice came again, it's dead monotone voice: "round two over, round three begin"